KilnQueueRunning a waitlist for a full pottery studio
Updated October 22, 2026 · For community pottery studios
A full studio is a good problem, but a waitlist kept in an inbox gets messy fast. People wait months, forget they signed up, or hear about an opening after someone else took it. A simple, visible process keeps it fair and keeps shelves filled.
What to collect
- Name, phone and email.
- Experience level, if your studio has beginner and independent tiers.
- When they joined the list.
- Anything they need, such as a particular day or kiln access.
Offer openings in order
- When a member leaves or pauses, note the open shelf.
- Contact the first person on the list with the start date and price.
- Give them a set time to reply, such as two or three days.
- If they pass, move to the next person.
- Once they accept, assign their shelf and mark them active.
Keep waiting members engaged
People on a waitlist are your best prospects for classes and open-studio sessions. Let them know about workshops; some will take a class while they wait and be ready to work independently when a shelf opens.
Clean the list regularly
Every few months, ask everyone on the list whether they still want a spot. Remove anyone who doesn’t reply. An accurate list of ten people is more useful than a list of forty names from two years ago.